Africa cannot afford to leave half its talent on the sidelines. That was the clear message from top voices at the fifth edition of the Women in Technology and Engineering Summit and Awards (WITESA 5.0), held in Lagos on June 23 and 24, 2026.
Gautier Mignot, European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, described investment in women in science, technology and engineering as one of the smartest decisions any society can make. He urged governments, companies, universities and development partners to take concrete steps that make it easier for women to study, build businesses and lead in technology.
“This is not only about fairness and women’s rights, it is about unlocking Nigeria and Africa’s full potential by setting free the entire potential of women,” Mignot said.
WITESA 5.0 was organised by Womenovate in partnership with Tech Revolution Africa and held in Lagos for the first time, positioning the city as a continental stage for advancing women’s leadership in technology. The 2026 edition brought together more than 2,000 diverse leaders, innovators and policymakers, with over 60 speakers leading conversations across nine tracks covering artificial intelligence, green technology and equitable scaling. Fifty startups pitched their innovations, giving founders direct access to investors and corporate decision-makers. Motunrayo Opayinka, CEO of Womenovate and Convener of WITESA 2026, said Lagos was chosen because of its place as Africa’s leading innovation hub. She added that inclusion is no longer something nice to have, it is a necessity for building technology that actually works for everyone.
“Inclusive solutions are more robust and better reflect the needs of society,” Opayinka said.
Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Bolaji Dada, said the underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering and innovation is not only a gender issue but also an economic, development and competitiveness challenge.
“Every time a talented young woman is unable to access quality education, mentorship, funding or opportunities in the technology ecosystem, we all lose ideas, innovation, and solutions,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu pointed to the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) as one of the tools the government is using to equip residents with digital and entrepreneurial skills. He also mentioned the Lagos State Science, Research and Innovation Council as a support structure for innovators and start-ups.
Mignot acknowledged that progress has been made but was clear that serious barriers remain. These include unequal access to quality education and finance, recruitment and investment biases, safety concerns and the domestic burden many women carry at home and at work. He stressed that celebrating success must go hand in hand with a commitment to changing the systems that make that success so hard to achieve. Lagos State Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Olatunbosun Alake, added that massive funding for training is urgently needed. He also raised the issue of power supply as a critical obstacle to building local AI models that serve Nigerian needs.
Among the award recipients were Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr Kadri Hamzat, Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, University of Lagos Vice-Chancellor Professor Folasade Ogunsola, MTN Nigeria Chief Information Officer Bukola Ajayi, First Bank Group Chief Information Officer Rachel Adeshina, PiggyVest Co-founder Odunayo Eweniyi and MoneyAfrica CEO Oluwatosin Olaseinde. Other recipients included KPMG, Shell Plc, eHealth Africa, the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) and Equinix Inc. The CyberSafe Foundation also received the Cybersecurity Excellence Award.
WITESA 5.0 showed that the conversation around women in tech in Nigeria has moved beyond motivation speeches. It is now about funding, infrastructure, policy and recognition. As Lagos continues to grow as Africa’s tech capital, the question is no longer whether women belong in the room. It is how fast the room can be made bigger.
